So I’m thinking, if I had to take one musical artist’s complete works to a desert island, who would it be? Totally cliched question, so how about this wrinkle: you get to take their music, as well as covers by other people, and versions of songs/works written by your dude but performed by others. Not only that, but if your chosen artist recorded a cover, you get the original artist’s recorded version.
I would pick Bruce Springsteen because I love his stuff anyway, but for variety I would then get:
Fire - Pointer Sisters
Because the Night - Patti Smith
Because the Night - Natalie Merchant
Blinded by the Light, For You - Manfred Mann
This Land is Your Land - Woody Guthrie
Jersey Girl - Tom Waits
Southside Johnny’s versions of Springsteen hits, and SSJ’s original versions of BS covers
That whole album of covers of BS hits from Nebraska
Ween. Definitely Ween. Provided of course, I can use all the bootlegged stuff. That would provide me with TONS of music, since many of their live shows include covers from Waylon Jennings to Prince to Motorhead to Pink Floyd and on and on.
The Grateful Dead. Not just because they’re a great group, but because they recorded live covers of dozens of other artists like Dylan, Traffic, Little Feet, Martha and the Vandellas, Van Morrison, the Beatles, Kris Kristofferson, the Band, and plenty more. You can listen for months without a repeat.
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Not because I really like them a lot, because I don’t, but all their songs are covers. So you would have a lot of variety.
Concrete Blonde. Not only do I love them like lollies, and they’ve got about 8 or 9 albums to keep me occupied, but I also get Jimi Hendrix, Leonard Cohen, Roxy Music, Thin Lizzy, Tears For Fears, James Brown, George Harrison, Cheap Trick, Dream Syndicate and Bob Dylan.
Why not! That means I get Philadelphia, Dead Man Walking, Jerry McGuire, …
Looks like I need to delay getting stranded on the island for a little while; Springsteen is planning an album of Pete Seeger covers. Now if we expand the experiment to every version of the given Seeger song recorded I’m all set!
Query: If we are talking about a chosen artist’s complete works, and that artist happens to be a group, does that include all solo efforts by every member of the group?
'Cause if that’s the case, I gotta go with The Beatles .
Not only would I have the group plus four separate artists (a very large body of work in itself), but many, many covers, including (but not limited to) such goodies as:
Eleanor Rigby by Aretha Franklin Lucy in the Sky by Elton John Got to Get You Into My Life by Earth, Wind and Fire World Without Love by Peter and Gordon and Bobby Rydell I Wanna Be Your Man by The Rolling Stones
Unfortunately, I’d also end up with the soundtrack to the film version of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band , but I’m sure it would make a decent platter or Frisbee or something.
As far as songs they all covered, there’s:
Twist and Shout Till There Was You Sentimental Journey (Ringo) You’re Sixteen Go Now Roll Over Beethoven
etc. etc. etc.
Add to all those McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio for when I’m in a classical mood, and the resulting collection should sustain me for a long, long time.
